Card table indicator



C. A. TOMPKINS CARD TABLE INDICATOR July 7, 1936.

Filed June 27, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l FZZ July 7, 1936. c. A. TOMPKINS CARD TABLE INDICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1955 C. A. TOMPKINS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 7, 1936.

, CARD TABLE INDICATOR Filed June 27, 1955 f8 ,7 we 5 {4 4 119 Y I2 56 g5 77 6 7/ Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES ?ATE.NT OFFICE Application June 27,

Claims.

The invention relates to card tables and mechanical card dealing mechanisms associated therewith and primarily has for an object to provide novel means automatically influenced by 5 said dealing mechanism to signal or indicate a step in the sequence of play, such for example, as the sequence of bidding.

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in the provision of certain new and useful improvements in mechanical card dealing tables of the type disclosed in the Hammond Patent 1,889,729 issued November 29, 1932 wherein is provided a card receiving pocket at each side of the table, a receiving tray or slide into which the pack of cards is deposited, and mechanically and automatically actuated travelling picker and conveyor arms and cooperating trackways for conveying the cards individually to the receiving pockets. In this type of table no means is provided for indicating the sequence of play and because of the hidden nature of the dealing activities it is not without difficulty that the proper sequence of bidding is maintained. It is the purpose of my invention to remedy this condition and to this end I provide a signal or indicator unit at each side of the table and means actuated once for each complete deal and through the medium of the card dealing devices themselves for rendering said units sequentially effective to signal or indicate the sequence of bidding.

With the above and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a card table embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tabletop shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of a portion of the table embodying the signal or inaw cpnf o sw tc Figure 4 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 44 on Eigure 3.

v, Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the signal or indicator units and the circuit wiring.

1 Figure 6 is an enlarged detail vertical section, I

and Figure '7 a perspective view of the parts of the signal or indicator control switch.

In the Hammond table disclosed in Patent 1,889,729 the table top, supported on folding legs 30, is in the nature of a hollow deck or cabinet 55 for housing the card dealing mechanisms and 1933, Serial No. 677,907

comprises a removable top 42, a floor 40, and sides 32,34, 36 and 38 having suitable openings through which access may be had to the individual card receptacles or receiving pockets designated S, W, N and E.

When utilizing the mechanisms of the Hammond table the deck of playing cards is deposited in a slide or tray 62 which is then pushed inwardly to position the cards under the influence of the dealing devices, the inward movement of the slide serving to set the switch 92 and complete the electrical circuit responsible for the operation of the dealing devices. The slide includes a lock notch BIB, and a spring urged slide latch "I8 serves to lock the slide in place until the completion of the deal when the slide is automatically released and the switch returned to its circuit breaking condition. The switch 92 is connected in circuit with the power motor I02 and the power input line or cord I30 and when in operation the motor imparts rotation to a turntable I28 and the card picker and conveyor arms I54 and 200 attached thereto. In combination with circular supporting and side track rails I42, I44 and I36, I38 the arms I54 and 200 take cards from the slide 62 and deposit them individually into the pockets S, W, N and E.

The means for tripping the Hammond latch I8 at the completion of each deal includes a horizontally fulcrumed trip rod 94 provided at one end with an upwardly extending trip arm I00 and at its other end with a similar arm 96 which extends upwardly through an elongated slot formed in the latch 18. The picker and conveyor arms have rollers I60 and 204 which ride over the side track rails I 38 and I36 except at the position of the slide 62 at which point a break occurs in the track rail I38.

The roller I60 normally travels high enough to avoid contact with and tripping of the arm I00 but when there are no longer'any cards to be engaged by the picker arm this arm and its roller are no longer supported by a card while traversingthe track break and the roller is allowed to come into engagement with the trip arm I00 causing" it and its companion arm 96 to move about their fulcrum and withdrawing the latch I8 from engagement in the slide lock notch 86. The latch I8 thus being released the slide 32 is free to move and the switch 92 normally spring pressed to the circuit breaking position will return to that position forcing with it the slide 62 and cutting oil the current to the power motor.

The parts hereinbefore described briefly all are parts employed in the Hammond table and the details of construction and operation thereof are fully dealt with in the Hammond patent disclosure 1,889,'729. In order to facilitate an understanding of my invention as applied to tables of the Hammond type the parts above described have been given reference characters corresponding to those employed in the Hammond patent.

In the practical development of my invention, I provide a series of indicator lights or signals respectively designated 5, 6, I and 8, one such unit being disposed at each side of the table as indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings.

In combination with these signaling or indicating units, I provide means for rendering the units individually and successively effective to indicate to the players seated at the table, the side of the table, or in other words, the player next obligated or privileged to bid.

For the above purpose, I provide an automatir cally actuated control switch generally designated 9 and which is secured by a bracket III or other suitable means to thefloor of the table adjacent the trip rod 94, I as shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. The particular switch 9 disclosed in the drawings includes a stationary body II equipped with eight contacts disposed in a circle and equidistantly spaced. The eight contacts are arranged in diametricall oppositely disposed pairs, said pairsbeing respectively designated I2, I3, I4 and I5.

In order to avoid the necessity of moving the contact making finger through too long an arc in changing the circuits for operating the individual indicating or signaling units, I have chosen to employ the eight contacts instead of four such contacts and by connecting the respective diametrically disposed pairs of contacts by the individual wiring connections I6, I'I, I8 and I9 as indicated in Figure of the drawings, I find it possible to make the eight contacts accomplish the same purpose which could be accomplished with four more remotely spaced contacts. It should be understood that the invention is not limited in scope to the use of the particular form of switch disclosed in the drawings, it being obvious that any form of switch capable of making suitable circuit contact by step-bystep movement might be employed.

The indicator or signal unit 5 is connected individually as at with the pair of contacts I2, the unit 6 is individually connected as at 2| to the pair of contacts I3, the unit I is individually connected as at 22 to the pair of contacts I4, and the unit 8 is individually connected as at-23 with the pair of contacts I5. In order to complete the circuit connecting the units, the unit control switch and the source of power, I connect the remaining terminal of all of the units '5, 6, 1 and 8 by a single wire 24 which is in turn connected by a wire 25 with one leg of the power input line or cord I as indicated in Figure 5 of the drawings. A resistance or a step-down transformer 26 is connected in the line 25 so as to suitably reduce the voltage of the input line to a degree suitable for use in connection with the power indicating or signaling units employed.

The control switch 9 includes a, rotor or shaft 21 which carries a contact finger 28 adapted to contact individually and successively with the switch contacts I2, I3, I4 and I5. The switch rotor 21 is extended downwardly through the floor of the table and is equipped with a-knob 29 by which the contact finger 28 may be moved manually.

For the purpose of automatically shifting the position of the contact making finger 28, the switch rotor is equipped at its upper end with an 8-point star wheel 3|, each tooth of which may be said to represent a switch contact station. The contact making finger 28 is electrically connected by a wire 33 with the remaining leg of the power input line I30 as indicated in Figure 5 of the drawings and any suitable form of make-and-break switch X may be connected in said wire so as to enable cutting out of operation the signaling or indicating apparatus without interfering with the normal operation of the dealing mechanism of the table.

A spring 35 normally holds the trip rod 94, I O0, 95 in the position illustrated in full lines in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, i. e., with the shorter arm 96 resting against the stop 37 and the longer arm I00 lying in close proximity to one of the teeth of the switch moving star wheel 3| as indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Since the trip rod 54, in returning to its normal position after having engaged a star wheel tooth for the purpose of shifting the switch contactfinger 28 one station in the clockwise direction, partakes of a longitudinal movement in riding over the star wheel tooth, and in order to accommodate this movement, the slot in the slide latch 18 which receives the rod arm 96 is equipped with a lateral extension designated 39.

While it is to be understood that any form of signalling or indicating unit may be employed, I find it convenient to employ ordinary radio dial lights and these may be mounted within the table adjacent sighting windows M covered at the outside, if desired, by red jewels 43 or other attractive protective coverings,

Assuming the switch X to have been manually shifted to the circuit closing position and the power input cord or line I30 properly attached to a source of power, the operation of the mechanism may be described briefiy as follows:-

The deck of cards is placed in the receptacle or tray with which the slide 62 is equipped and the slide pushed inwardly to move the deck into the zone of influence of the picker and conveyor arms I54 and 200. As the slide moves into this position, it automatically shifts the motor control switch 92 to its circuit making position thus setting the motor I02 into operation for rotating the turntable 28. The slide latch I8 engages in the lock notch 86 with which the slide 62 is provided and locks the slide in the position stated, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

As the turntable I28 rotates the picker arm I54 strips the cards individually from the deck and the conveyor arm 25H conveys them to the respective table pockets in the manner disclosed fully in the Hammond patent referred to hereinbefore.

The roller I68 with which the picker arm I54 is equipped rides on the track rail I32 at all times during its travelexcept at the break in that track which occurs at the position of the slide 62. The receiving end of the track rail I32 at the break thereof includes a cam portion 44 and it will be observed by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings that the trip arm IIJ!) extends above this track portion. Whenever the picker arm is engaged with a card that card supports thearm in such a position that the roller I thereof passes freely over and does not contact with the trip arm I00 When the last card of the can has been removed from the tray of the slide 62, however, the pickerarm I54 is without card support and drops into contact with the rail cam portion 44 and in riding up this surface the roller IE!) will contact with and effect movement of the trip arm I00 from the position illustrated in full lines in Figures 3 and 4 to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 3, this movement being sufficient to move the contact making finger 28 of the switch one station.

Ihus at the completion of each dealing of the cards the picker arm roller engages the trip arm I60 and moves the contact making finger 28 one step serving to adjust the wiring circuit to extinguish the particular light 5, 6, 1 or 8 which has been on display and effect a display of the light next succeeding in the clockwise direction.

As in the Hammond patent the shifting of the trip arm Hill likewise serves to release the latch 78 and permit the slide 62 and the switch 92 to return to their normal positions thereby breaking the motor circuit and discontinuing movement of the dealing mechanisms.

In the foregoing description, I have disclosed a simple and efficient means for indicating to card players seated at a table the sequence of bidding; said signaling or indicating means being automatically operated by the mechanical devices which are employed for dealing the cards. The specific apparatus disclosed in the drawings is to be understood to be merely exemplary and changes may be made in the arrangement of the wiring and in the construction and position of the switch without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. In a bridge table, the combination of mechanically actuated card dealing means for dealing the playing cards in proper number and in position to be taken up by the respective players, and means automatically actuated by said card dealing means upon completion of each deal to indicate the first bidder of the hand just dealt.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a card table having side walls and a plurality of card receiving pockets, a tray slidable through an opening formed in one of said side walls, said tray having means for receiving a stack of playing cards, mechanism for removing the cards of the stack from said tray successively and distributing said cards to said receiving pockets, a motor for operating said mechanism, a switch for said motor, means for closing said switch upon insertion of said tray in operative position, means for latching said tray in its operative position throughout the period of operation of said distributing mechanism, means for releasing said tray and opening said switch after all of the cards have been removed from the tray and distributed to said receiving pockets, a first bidder indicating unit associated with each side wall, and means effective upon each actuation of said tray releasing means to actuate said indicating units individually and successively.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a dealing mechanism, means for inserting a stack of cards in position for operative engagement by said dealing mechanism, a latch for locking said means in said position, means actuated upon the completion of the operation of said dealing mechanism to release said latch, a first bidder indicating unit associated with each of the usual positions of players seated about the table, and means actuated by said latch releasing means to render said indicating units individually and successively efiective.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a card deck tray movable into and out of operative position, dealing mechanism operable to remove cards successively from said tray and distribute them into separate hands, said means including a card contacting member, a latch to hold said tray in operative position, means operated by said member to release said latch after all of the cards have been removed from said tray, a first bidder indicating unit associated with each said hand, and means actuated by movement of said latch releasing means to render said indicating units individually and successively effective.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a card deck support, dealing mechanism operable to remove cards successively from said support and distribute them into separate hands, an electric motor for driving said mechanism, a switch for connecting said motor to a source of electric power, means for closing said switch, means operable upon completion of a dealing operation of said mechanism to open said switch, a first bidder indicating unit associated with each said hand, and means actuated by said switch opening means to render said indicating units individually and successively effective.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a four-sided card table having a card dealing mechanism incorporated therein, driving means for said mechanism, means operative upon feeding a stack of playing cards to said mechanism to render said driving means operative, means controlled by said mechanism to render said driving means inoperative, a first bidder indicating unit disposed at each side of the table one such unit being efifective to indicate bid sequence during the interval between stoppages of the operation of said driving means, 4

and means controlled by said mechanism for rendering said indicating units successively effective.

'7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a four-sided card table having a card dealing mechanism incorporated therein, driving means for said mechanism, means operative upon feeding a stack of playing cards to said mechanism to render said driving means operative, means controlled by said mechanism to render said driving means inoperative, a first bidder indicating unit disposed at each side of the table one such unit being efiective to indicate bid sequence during the interval between stoppages of the operation of said driving means, means controlled by said mechanism for rendering said indicating units successively effective, and manually actuated means by which the successive effectiveness of the units may be initiated with any particular one of said units.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a card deck dealing mechanism operable to remove cards successively from said support and distribute them into separate hands, an electric motor for driving said mechanism, a switch for connecting said motor to a source of electric power, means for closing said switch, means operable upon completion of a dealing operation of said mechanism to open said switch, a first bidder indicating unit associated with each said hand, means actuated by said switch opening means to render said indicating units individually and successively effective, and manually actuated means by which the successive effectiveness of the units may be initiated with any particular one of said units.

9. In a device of the class described, the com bination of a card table having side walls and a plurality of card receiving pockets, a. tray slid=- able through an opening formed in one of said side walls, said tray having means for receiving a stack of playing cards, mechanism for removing the cards of the stack from said tray successively and distributing said cards to said receiving pockets, a motor for operating said mechanism, a switch for said motor, means for closing said switch upon insertion of said tray in operative position, means for latching said tray in its operative position throughout the period of operation of said distributing mechanism, means for releasing said tray and opening said switch after all of the cards have been removed from the tray and distributed to said receiving pockets, a first bidder indicating unit associated with each side Wall, means effective upon each actuation of said tray releasing means to actuate said indicator units individually and successively, and manually actuated means by which the successive effectiveness of the units may be initiated with any particular one of said units.

10. In a bridge table, the combination of mechanically actuated card dealing means for dealing the playing cards in proper number and in position to be taken up by the respective players, means automatically actuated by said card dealing means upon completion of each deal to indicate the first bidder of the hand just dealt, and means for manually actuating said indicating means independently of the automatic actuation thereof.

CHARLES A. TOMPKINS. 

